


Apartment Hunting

by Classic_Vision



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Future, F/M, Future Fic, Humor, Romance, Spideychelle, Tumblr Prompt, spideychelle month
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 09:03:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20306923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Classic_Vision/pseuds/Classic_Vision
Summary: Peter Parker tries the impossible task of living with his ex-girlfriend on a budget in New York City.Tumblr PromptSpideychelle Month one-shot





	Apartment Hunting

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something for Spideychelle Month. Viewers choice for Tumblr. Enjoy

“It’s not…that bad.”

“Which part? The roaches on the floor, or the ants on the wall?”

“Come on, MJ.” Peter says, brushing his shoulder off from the wall he was just leaning on. “I’m just trying to stay positive.”

She scoffs, scooping some dust off the counter with her finger. “We don’t have time for that. Why don’t we go somewhere nicer?”

“Because we don’t have money for that. This complex is our last hope.”

School is starting two weeks and they still hasn’t found an apartment. Unlike his previous years, Peter’s scholarship only covered tuition not housing. So much for being smart. He wishes he could’ve gone the athletic route. Now here he is finally experiencing the toughest part of being a New Yorker. Rent.

Good thing is, he has someone to split the rent with. Bad thing is, it’s is on and off again girlfriend throughout college. Peter and MJ still remain close, but somehow only seem to work better has friends. And somehow, he convinced himself that living with her in a platonic setting was a _good_ _idea_. Senior year was getting off to a rough start.

“I thought Ned and Betty were supposed to help us,” Peter says, stepping over the roaches. “What are they doing?”

“I’d say that depends on whether or not Ned has protection.”

“MJ…”

Though, she was probably right.

“We’ll just have to downgrade to a one bedroom.”

“But there’s two of us.”

MJ nods to him slowly, not wanting to waste breath on the obvious. Peter squints is eyes at her, playing out the situation in his head. He’s about to ask her until a spark lights off in his mind.

“H-How would that work?” he stutters. “I mean, I’m sure we can make it work. Wait, I mean definitely works. I just didn’t know you would want it to. But if y-”

“Peter,” MJ interrupts, “Don’t go all _male_ on me. We’ll still sleep separately.”

“Oh…”

“You’ll just have to take the couch.”

“WHAT”

* * *

“Oh nice, carpeting.”

Peter and MJ make their way into the next unit available in the building. It was an improvement from the previous one. But…

“There’s a stain in the bedroom.”

“I’m sure it’ll wash out.”

“The toilet water’s low,” MJ shouts from the bathroom. “Bad plumping. You can say goodbye to pizza night.”

Peter shook his head, trying to ignore her complaints and moved to windows. “These are some nice blinds.”

He twists the knob twice to get a better view and instantly it snaps off in his hand. He wanted to yell, but instead, he takes a deep breath to compose himself.

“There’s a couple mouse traps left in the closet.”

Peter wasn’t going to let that bother him. It’s New York City after all. Rodents should be their friends.

“The point is, there’s no ants or roaches,” he comments softly.

“One of these traps is occupied.”

“THAT’S IT”

Peter throws down the broken knob and storms out of the apartments. MJ chases him down the hall but can’t catch him until they’re out of the he’s in the elevator.

“Where are you going?”

“This isn’t going to work, MJ. I’m sorry I have to go.”

It’s not often that Michelle Jones is caught off guard about anything. But here she was stunned as the elevator doors closed on her and Peter leaves the building.

* * *

The complex is stunning. A gated building, standing tall and wide with blue and orange patterns around the glass windows. Inside, the lobby has marble flooring surrounding the beautiful water fountain complimented by jazz music in the background. Each and every apartment on every floor is luxurious, spacious, and comfortable. To top it all off, there’s a rooftop bar with a pool and great view of the city. It’s perfect, it’s a dream, and most importantly to Peter Parker…it’s a big waste of time.

“Dude, why did you bring me here? There’s no way we can afford this.”

“I told you, man.” Ned finishes chugging his complimentary water bottle he got from the lobby and sat up from the lounge chair by the pool. “The whole point of living in New York City is to live big. Right Hoggy?”

The tour guide gives an annoyed sigh and rolls his eyes. “It’s _Happy_.”

“Wait, your name is Happy? I thought they-”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it all and relayed it to my parents. Are you guys gonna put in an application or what?”

Ned puts an arm around Peter, cutting him off before he can speak. “Of course, we will. Because I live across the street.”

Ned lived with his girlfriend Betty. Unlike Peter and MJ, they had their relationship figured out, and then some. The two were inseparable from each other. And take PDA to a new level.

“I wish I could afford to live in your building. Little alone, this place,” Peter pouts.

“Someone’s gotta chase the dream, Peter. I’ve been trying to Betty to move over to this building but she’s always talking about budgets and expenses and crap.”

Peter scoffs sarcastically, “Yeah, who cares about any of that.”

He hates the way things have been going lately. Money was super tight and the last thing he wanted to do was let MJ down. Students loans can only go so far so Peter decided to sell some of his personal items to help with living expenses in preparation for rent. The toughest one to let go was his Nintendo Switch. MJ doesn’t know about it, but he figured it would be worth the sacrifice. At least that’s how he felt at the time.

“By the way, what’s up with you and MJ? Back together yet? Because we kind of have a little bet going?”

Peter squints his eyes at his best friend, but quickly writes it off. At least someone had confidence in his relationship. Or whatever it was.

“I don’t know, dude.”

“Okay!” Happy shouted, tapping his finger to his watch. “If you two don’t make a decision in five seconds, I’m gonna assume it’s a _no _and get back to my meatball parm.”

Peter takes one last look around the rooftop. He always thought that his first apartment hunting wouldn’t be limited by a budget. He would be a graduate with a high paying chemist job. But here he is watching his dream start to fade.

“Ned, I want to live here.”

“Great!” Ned threw his fist in the air and gestured out to the view of the city. “This is the dream!”

Peter laughs and cheers with his friend. “You really think we can afford it?”

Ned shrugged. “You don’t know until you ask. Hey Happy, how much for a two bed room?”

“If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.”

“Dude..”

* * *

Peter and Ned walk out of the fancy complex with their heads down. Peter takes a step forward when Ned’s arm blocks him from moving forward. Peter questions his friend who seems to be lost in a daze until he looks in the same direction. And that’s when he sees them.

Coming towards them, are four girls jogging in place. Two of them he recognizes from class. As they get closer, the tallest one smiles politely at their gazes.

“Hi you guys,” Liz Allan says.

But they’re both too stunned, and embarrassed to speak. So, Peter just waves as the group of girls move pass them and enter the luxurious complex.

“Hi, Ned!”

Two of the girls, Betty and Liz ran back out of the complex sipping bottles of water.

“Hey, honey.” Ned says, kissing his short blond girlfriend.

“I was just about to head home. You helping Peter and MJ out with the apartment hunting?”

Before Ned can answer, Liz interjects.

“Peter, I didn’t know you and MJ were back together. That’s great!”

Peter gulped at the tall sweaty girl in front of him.

“Well, not exactly. But who can afford to live alone in New York?” he joked.

Liz wipes another beat of sweat off her head. “I hear you. One of my roommates kind of bailed on us. Boyfriend stuff. Anyway, we’ve got a spot open now. A couple of people are interested but, I felt like it would be rude if I didn’t ask you.”

Peter gulped again. He knew what he should say, but for some reason it was taking along time to say it. Perhaps he wanted to accept the offer. He could finally live the good life. A new life and new girl. Maybe it was time.

“Thanks, but I got my living situation covered,” Peter says, surprising himself.

“Oh, great. Well, I guess I’ll see you guys on campus.”

Liz waves at him and then to someone behind him before jogging back inside the building. Peter turns around and sees MJ standing there with her arms crossed.

“MJ, how long have you been standing there?”

She shrugs, “Long enough to see you drool your own pool.”

“I told her no.”

“Yeah, after like an hour of hesitation. That’s the life you want?”

Peter sees her getting tense and doesn’t like where things are going. But he’s not sure what to do. There still not even technically together.

“I just kind of wanted to see what it would be like for a minute,” he says honestly.

MJ scoffs again. “Let’s go, Betty”

The blond girl lets go of Ned’s hand and gives an apologetic smile to Peter before following her friend.

Peter watches MJ walk off. He still doesn’t know what they were. He doesn’t know if they could live together. He doesn’t know if they could be just friends. But the one thing he knows, is that he has to make things right. Because seeing Michelle walk off was too painful.

* * *

Peter and Ned arrive at Ned’s apartment about an hour after the girls. Ned thought it would be a good idea to let things cool down a little before going over there. That hour felt like an eternity to Peter. He needed to talk to MJ.

He rings the door bell and Betty lets them in. MJ’s sitting at the counter when she sees him and hops off to greet him.

“We’ll give you two a minute,” Betty says, shoving Ned out the door as he mutters something about it being his house.

Now it’s just the two of them. MJ shifts her feet a bit, stopping the silence. Peter exhales and decides to just dive into it.

“I’m sorry I stormed out. It had nothing to do with you. I just hated the idea of us living in crap.”

MJ laughs a bit and Peter is instantly relieved.

“It was crap,” she says. “But I didn’t have to be so blunt about it. I’m addicted to telling the truth. Even at the worst time.”

“It’s fin-”

“No, Peter,” she interrupts. The issue had been weighing on her mind apparently. “I know this can’t be easy for you either. “Things between us aren’t exactly ideal.”

This time Peter laughs. “Since when is anything about us ideal. That’s why I like you. You’re not normal.”

To anyone else, that would have been taken as an insult. But it brings a smile to MJ’s face. Peter takes the opportunity and puts his hands on her shoulders, standing close.

“You’re weird in the best way. I want to make this work. I want _us_ to work.”

MJ wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer and gives the best compliment she can think of. “I think you’re weird too.”

And kisses him. For the first time in too long, Peter Parker is kissing the girl he loves. He makes a silent vow to himself that he will make things work this time. Because she’s too good to let go.

He pulls away from her only to look at her face and that pretty smile she rarely shows.

“Thanks. Because I don’t want to be someone I’m not. I’m good with who I am.”

“Hey, I got a surprise.”

MJ pulls Peter out of the apartment and straight to the one next door. Inside, is a wide-open floor of a two-bedroom unfurnished with clean counter tops and clean walls.

“I know you’re not crazy about wood flooring, but we can get big rug.” MJ runs over to the other side and gestures from corner to corner as if rehearsed. “I figure we can put the TV on this wall next to your video game stand. Then we can have my bookshelf at the edge on the way to my room.”

Peter walks around the actually _livable_ apartment pleasantly surprised. “Good ideas but I don’t think we’ll need my game stand.”

“Sure about that?”

He turns to see MJ holding a small wrapped box out to him. He looks at her in disbelief until she gives him a nod of approval. Then he rips the box open like a kid on Christmas morning. His eyes grow big and legs to bounce.

“You got me a Nintendo Switch! I can’t believe it. I had to sell mine at Gamestop last month for $140

“Funny, I bought mine at Gamestop last month for $160.”

“What?”

“I’m kidding. Well, not really. Never sell to Gamestop, dude. But anyway, Ned told me about what you did. I had to get it back for you.”

Peter smiles brighter than he has the entire day. For the first time, everything was coming together.

“I love this. Can we really afford it?”

“Apparently we can. The landlord told me it’s been vacant so long that she knocked off $500 off the rent for us.”

“Wow, that’s great! But why is a place like this vacant?”

“Well, it’s next to Ned and Betty’s…”

“So?”

“The walls are thin.”

“Crap.”

**Author's Note:**

> Drop a comment!


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